For those of you few people out there who have yet to see the powerful, moving film, Invisible Children, you need to watch it - Invisible Children Movie, or order the DVD at Invisible Children Website
UNA YPIC groups across the US have banded with Invisible Children in their national calls to action: the Global Night Commute in 2006 and Displace Me in 2007. These major events helped to make American citizens aware of the story of the children in Northern Uganda, who commute daily to escape from abduction from rebels. The movie has been widely watched in schools, homes, churches and classrooms and through pure grassroots efforts, created the largest national effort on the part of young people to end a crisis in another country.
These three inspiring filmmakers have come up with their next film to tell the next leg in the story about these displaced children in Uganda.
"Black is for Sunday" follows filmmaker Bobby as he tells the story of Sunday, a young boy raised in the displaced camps in Northern Uganda. Through the documentary you find out about the difficulty in the camps and the story behind the children who live there. Check out the trailer here:
Trailer for Black is for Sunday
Stay involved in the Invisible Children efforts and think about how you can get the word out about their films and be a part of the movement.
"Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."
- from Jason Russell,Director of Invisible Children
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Friday, August 3, 2007
Bush Tiptoes Into Climate Waters
“The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.”
- Wendell Barry
Years after the Kyoto Protocol was initiated and then lowered on the US priority list, we are now taking a step forward towards this heated topic of "climate change."
President Bush has announced an invitation to the world's major polluters (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and South Korea) to a September 27-28 conference to set long-term goals on cutting greenhouse gas emissions. This represents the first major positive action from this U.S. administration towards a leadership role in this climate change issue.
Bush Sets Climate Meeting
This climate change summit comes in a timely fashion - before the 2008 Presidential election (environment will be a top issue), after Al Gore won an Oscar for his poignant documentary on Climate Change, "The Inconvenient Truth," and when the whole world is talking about how to be more environmentally friendly.
Incidences like the four Hurricane series of 2004 in Florida, Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami in Southeast Asia, have provoked debate amongst scientists and politicians alike. Citizens are showing increased interest in environmental awareness and whether the naysayers like it or not, it is something that must be in more than just our peripheral vision as world leaders move ahead.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon was in San Francisco last month meeting with Governor Schwarzenegger on the imperative he has set in California for energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gases.
"The science is now clear. The earth's warming is beyond debate," Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said. "We have a short window of opportunity - the next 10 years - to chart a course that will prevent dangerous, potentially catastrophic changes in the earth's climate."
A former student of mine posted a comment on my July 7th blog, raising the point that despite the importance of the issue, until the solutions are more tangible, affordable and accessible, the majority of people will not make the changes necessary (i.e. giving up fuel-consuming automobiles)to really offset the climate change problem.
It's clearly an issue we all need to pay more attention to, and take a role as voters and caring citizens in encouraging our government leaders along the path of environmental stewardship and awareness.
"The earth is what we all have in common."
- Wendell Barry
- Wendell Barry
Years after the Kyoto Protocol was initiated and then lowered on the US priority list, we are now taking a step forward towards this heated topic of "climate change."
President Bush has announced an invitation to the world's major polluters (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and South Korea) to a September 27-28 conference to set long-term goals on cutting greenhouse gas emissions. This represents the first major positive action from this U.S. administration towards a leadership role in this climate change issue.
Bush Sets Climate Meeting
This climate change summit comes in a timely fashion - before the 2008 Presidential election (environment will be a top issue), after Al Gore won an Oscar for his poignant documentary on Climate Change, "The Inconvenient Truth," and when the whole world is talking about how to be more environmentally friendly.
Incidences like the four Hurricane series of 2004 in Florida, Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami in Southeast Asia, have provoked debate amongst scientists and politicians alike. Citizens are showing increased interest in environmental awareness and whether the naysayers like it or not, it is something that must be in more than just our peripheral vision as world leaders move ahead.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon was in San Francisco last month meeting with Governor Schwarzenegger on the imperative he has set in California for energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gases.
"The science is now clear. The earth's warming is beyond debate," Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said. "We have a short window of opportunity - the next 10 years - to chart a course that will prevent dangerous, potentially catastrophic changes in the earth's climate."
A former student of mine posted a comment on my July 7th blog, raising the point that despite the importance of the issue, until the solutions are more tangible, affordable and accessible, the majority of people will not make the changes necessary (i.e. giving up fuel-consuming automobiles)to really offset the climate change problem.
It's clearly an issue we all need to pay more attention to, and take a role as voters and caring citizens in encouraging our government leaders along the path of environmental stewardship and awareness.
"The earth is what we all have in common."
- Wendell Barry
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
UN Peacekeepers in Darfur
A lot of banter, a few unsuccessful attempts, diplomatic pandering and lot of patience and hard work later....we have an authorization from the UN Security Council to send peacekeepers into Darfur. UNAMID is born as a "hybrid operation."
A combination of an escalated version of the current African Union (AU) troops currently stationed there and additional peacekeepers supplied from countries as varied as France and Indoneisa, UNAMID will end up at a total of 26,000 military and police personnel. The protection of civilians in Sudan is paramount to the effort.
“By authorizing the deployment of a hybrid operation in Darfur, you are sending a clear and powerful signal of your commitment to improve the lives of the people of the region, and close this tragic chapter in Sudan’s history,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.
Some problems to point out with this wonderful piece. UNA-USA President Bill Luers pointed out to the advocacy committee today of the logistical problems associated with redistributing 26,000 troops into a region and having the outfit become operational. The cost may be much more than expected and since the US has staunchly stood behind the notion of a UN Peacekeeping force in Sudan, we must be prepared to help foot the bill. An additional issue mentioned by UNA-USA Co-Chairman of the board, Bill McDonough, the length of time that it will take the troops to get there en masse, will probably be used by the Janjaweed and other rebels to "kill off" the victimized civilians faster.
The UN must tread lightly and move quickly. Efficiency is key to save as many lives as possible. The additional damage caused by the recent flooding in southern and eastern areas in Sudan has created a state of emergency, above and beyond the humanitarian disaster and the UN is already beginning to deliver aid to the 1.5 million affected. The impacts of this natural disaster will likely last through the months ahead and the UN must be prepared to deal with this as they are trying to set up the largest peacekeeping operation in their 62 year history.
“We favor a UN mission [in Darfur] which has the quality of sustainability that comes from the whole UN peacekeeping system."
- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
"One thing is clear: Whatever external force is sent to Darfur can provide at best only temporary security to the people there. Only a political agreement among their leaders can secure their future and the return of 2 million of them to their homes."
- Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
A combination of an escalated version of the current African Union (AU) troops currently stationed there and additional peacekeepers supplied from countries as varied as France and Indoneisa, UNAMID will end up at a total of 26,000 military and police personnel. The protection of civilians in Sudan is paramount to the effort.
“By authorizing the deployment of a hybrid operation in Darfur, you are sending a clear and powerful signal of your commitment to improve the lives of the people of the region, and close this tragic chapter in Sudan’s history,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.
Some problems to point out with this wonderful piece. UNA-USA President Bill Luers pointed out to the advocacy committee today of the logistical problems associated with redistributing 26,000 troops into a region and having the outfit become operational. The cost may be much more than expected and since the US has staunchly stood behind the notion of a UN Peacekeeping force in Sudan, we must be prepared to help foot the bill. An additional issue mentioned by UNA-USA Co-Chairman of the board, Bill McDonough, the length of time that it will take the troops to get there en masse, will probably be used by the Janjaweed and other rebels to "kill off" the victimized civilians faster.
The UN must tread lightly and move quickly. Efficiency is key to save as many lives as possible. The additional damage caused by the recent flooding in southern and eastern areas in Sudan has created a state of emergency, above and beyond the humanitarian disaster and the UN is already beginning to deliver aid to the 1.5 million affected. The impacts of this natural disaster will likely last through the months ahead and the UN must be prepared to deal with this as they are trying to set up the largest peacekeeping operation in their 62 year history.
“We favor a UN mission [in Darfur] which has the quality of sustainability that comes from the whole UN peacekeeping system."
- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
"One thing is clear: Whatever external force is sent to Darfur can provide at best only temporary security to the people there. Only a political agreement among their leaders can secure their future and the return of 2 million of them to their homes."
- Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
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